SPRINGFIELD, Ore.  – The Bushnell baseball team has played their first home games in over 50 years as the relaunched program officially opened their new field at the Hamlin Sports Complex on Friday.
 
The Beacons (0-10) lost both contests as they welcomed both of their nearest Cascade Conference rivals, Corban University and Oregon Tech to town.
 
Head Coach Tommy Richards said, "It's disappointing to see how hard these guys work and then see what transpires out there during the games. I want them to trust their training and know that they have enough to compete and be successful. We are going to get there, once we can establish some belief in ourselves individually and as a collective whole."
 
Jeff Fripp, who hit his first home run of the season in game one, added, "The games did not go as we would like today. We will continue to work to play at the level we need to in order to be successful. With losses come lessons, and I feel as if we have learned enough. Now it is time to show up."
 
GAME ONE: Corban 7, Bushnell 3
 
The Warriors (4-4-1) built up a 7-1 lead after a four-run top of the fifth inning. The Beacons had an early home run from Jeff Fripp, his first of the season.
 
Bushnell made a game of it late, scoring single runs in the seventh and eighth innings that helped the Beacons finish the game down by just four runs, tied for their closest game of the young season. In the seventh, Brendan Frazier plated Jacob Richardson with an RBI single while in the eighth, Reece Carganilla came home on a wild pitch. 
 
Mason Shaw (2-0) got the start for the Warriors and went six innings, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out five batters.
 
Ethan Sachs (0-3) took the loss for the Beacons, giving up six earned in 4.2 innings while striking out a season-high four batters.
 
Trenton Hough (pictured) came on in relief for Sachs in the fifth and threw 3.1 innings of scoreless ball in one of the best relief efforts of the year thus far for the Beacons.
 
GAME TWO: Oregon Tech 9, Bushnell 1
 
The Beacons were able to get to one of the top pitchers in the CCC early as Dylan Grogan gave up just his second earned run of the season. In the bottom of the second inning, the Beacons loaded the bases with a Fripp single and back-to-back walkers. Fripp came home to score on an RBI groundout for Frazier, which at the time made it a 1-1 game.
 
Bushnell slowly saw the Owls pull away, but it wasn't out of hand until a five-run eighth inning.
 
Grogan (3-0) finished the game with five strikeouts in five innings, giving up three hits while relievers Patrick Arman and Brodie Maloney combined to allow three hits in four innings of shutout work.
 
Adam Sabatino produced a strong start for the Beacons, going seven innings and allowing just three earned runs on six hits. It was the longest outing by a Bushnell starter so far this season. "It felt great to be able to get out and play on our home field today," he said. "I was glad I got to start the second game and give our team some innings."
 
The Beacons will be back in action on Saturday, playing host to Corban at 2:00 pm. Before that game, Corban and Oregon Tech will face each other at 11:00 am.